2012 NFL Free Agency: Finding AFC East Fits for Big-Name Players Not Franchised

Buffalo Bills: Mario Williams, Defensive End

Pass-rushers. That sums up the Buffalo Bills' offseason needs in as simple terms as possible. The Bills only reached opposing quarterbacks 29 times last year. Now, as the team transitions to the 4-3 defense under new coordinator Dave Wannstedt, they'll need as much pass-rushing potency as they can get.

Going after Williams would be a slam dunk for the Bills.  They don't have a legitimate 4-3 defensive end on the roster and need to find answers at the position through the draft and free agency. 

The team has plenty of cap space to get into a bidding war over his services, especially now having inked Stevie Johnson's five-year contract extension for $36 million, which pays him an average of $8 million per year in the first three years of the deal, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

What's more, Wannstedt has said that he would like to avoid situational players.

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The thing that you want to try to avoid is situational players, as much as you can. Every guy that (we had) could go out and play defensive end and he could play the run and play it very good, but with how the defensive end position in my mind gets separated, it's the guys that can rush the passer.

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With the amount of talent Williams has shown in the 4-3 front, the Bills' need for a player like Williams, the availability of such a player and the money required to get him, it's a confluence of circumstances that the Bills should seriously consider capitalizing on.

New England Patriots: Vincent Jackson, Wide Receiver

It's hard to believe the Patriots, the kings of value, would invest so much in a wide receiver after handing Wes Welker a $9.4 million franchise tag. While the team would like to work out a long-term deal with their own best wide receiver, they must prepare to pay him the full amount of the tag.

There have been a lot of rumors swirling that the Patriots would be interested in Jackson, and those rumors came to a head in a recent column by Greg Bedard of The Boston Globe.

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Keep hearing that the Patriots’ top priority on the free agent market will be receiver. Would have to think that Vincent Jackson (Chargers) and Mike Wallace (Steelers) are at the top of the list. ...I’d go with Jackson over Wallace despite Jackson being 29 and four years older. Both would require a pick and contract, most likely.

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Now that the Chargers haven't tagged Jackson, one has to wonder if Jackson is one step closer to becoming a Patriot. It will no longer cost the team a first or second-round pick to trade for him.

The Patriots could certainly use a receiver that can win matchups on the outside, and one with speed to boot. Jackson brings both, and at 29 years old, there should be at least a few more good years left in the tank.

New York Jets: LaRon Landry, Safety

Given the Jets' salary cap woes, it's no surprise they didn't put the franchise tag on nose tackle Sione Pouha. That would have put them back over the cap and back into a situation needing to make room.

It also allows the team to use its resources more economically by filling multiple needs. The question marks around safeties Jim Leonhard and Eric Smith leave New Yorkers longing for answers at that position.

Enter LaRon Landry, who is set to become a free agent. He may be more suited to play linebacker at this stage, if recent pictures posted to Twitter are any evidence. That being said, a strong safety such as Landry often serves as an extra linebacker in run defense and on the blitz more often than in coverage.

That's a best-of-all-worlds scenario for the Jets and Landry. The Jets run primarily a cover-one scheme, which prevents Landry from being stuck in coverage too often; Landry's injuries limited him in 2011, and the Jets might be able to land him at a discount. 

Miami Dolphins: Matt Flynn, Quarterback

The Dolphins have long been rumored to be at the forefront of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, but their name is also in the hat for Flynn, specifically for his ties with former Packers offensive coordinator and new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin.

The experience that the two shared together in Green Bay could be fruitful if the two sides reunite in South Beach, but there are a lot of concerns that Flynn's success was residual based on the amount of talent around him in Green Bay.

Take nothing away from the Dolphins skill position players, though. Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush should make for a seamless transition, while role players like wide receivers Brian Hartline and Davone Bess and tight end Anthony Fasano will also make his job a bit easier.

One interesting note that no one is talking about: If the Indianapolis Colts fail to pick up Peyton Manning's option on March 8, he immediately becomes a street free agent, free to sign with any team he wants. The March 13 "opening" of free agency means nothing to him. Thus, the Dolphins can take their shot at Peyton, and if they fall short, they can still target Flynn when he becomes a free agent on March 13.

Of course, that presents a tough decision if Manning hasn't yet made a decision by the time free agency opens. If that happens, the team should make an offer to both men and sign the first one who accepts. Throw enough darts at the wall, and something's bound to stick.

At this point, though, the Dolphins would be a great example of just how many darts you can throw at a wall before one finally does.

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